New Orleans Saints 2016 NFL Draft 1 - 12.

New Orleans Saints 2016 NFL Draft 1 - 12.

First Off my overall concern with pick 12 is a simple one. Interior OL players in this draft leave a lot to be desired in the first two rounds. Most consider over rated due to the over lack of talent. This reflects heavily into my feeling about many of the interior DL that are listed high in this draft. Many shot up the board during the off season beauty shows. That puts a yellow flag up on most of them. Good but how good?

I see many poor mans versions of these players, later in the draft, as not that great of a drop off in talent as the two or three rounds that separate them. Many are vastly under rated.

Best player to be over drafted

Jalen Ramsey, S/CB, Florida State, 6005, 209 4.41
'no-risk, high-reward'

All pro safety is written all over this kid. He is a SS right now that fits perfectly in today's pass happy NFL. Day one starter. Give him a year or two and he will settle in as one of the NFLs best FS. He never played the same position two years in a row at FSU so despite the hype he is RAW. He is the perfect SS to match up with Byrd and let Byrd start earning that contract, if Byrd can stay on the field. He would be Byrd's replacement when it is time to let him fly away.

Best players to pray for to drop into Saints lap?

Ezekiel Elliott RB OSU 5115 225 4.47
'no-risk, high-reward'

Elliott is a prospect that fits perfectly in the Saints offense. What more needs to be said. Does he have that dynamic break away run factor that most top ten backs have had in the history of the draft? no but he is one of the best all around backs to come out in a long time. Smash Duce and PT together and this is probably the player that would emerge.

Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame 6055 315 5.17
'low-risk, high-reward'

No OT in the draft complements Terron Armstead better than Ronnie Stanley. Biggest plus is the fact he can go from LT to RT without missing a beat unlike Andrus Peat. Which is why the Peat pick left me scratching my head in 2015. He is the best swing OT that has come out in the past few years. He is the waling definition of a plug n play OT from day one.

OK Reality sets in.

Jarran Reed, DT/DE, Alabama 6034 307 5.21
'Med-risk, high-reward'

The best run-stuffing DT in the draft. What’s really impressive about Jarran’s play is his ability to play the nose (zero) with 2 gap responsibilities on run plays and totally control the double team against him in in Alabama’s base 3-4. Remember Alabama's No. 1 priority is stop the run first for the interior DL. So it is all about gapping and pushing the pocket. Something the saints sorely lacked, discipline up front. The upside with Reed is his under rated ability to blow plays behind the line and his overall hustle. Which I believe can translate into becoming a better pass rusher than people think, So this is the riskier part of his upside and gets that high rewards, if it does pan out. If he goes where most of the media scouts have him in the bottom half of round 1, in 3 years everyone is going to say he was a steal
Vastly Underrated.

Shaq Lawson DE Clemson 6025 270 4.70
'Med-risk, high-reward'

One year wonders worry me but his fundamentals are so sound against against the run that it makes me feel ok with this pick. I would rather a a one year wonder as an edge setter than a pass rusher any day. He has athletic ability to become a solid pass rusher but he also can be the type of DE a QB has to worry about dropping back into coverage from time to time. I am not saying he will rack up INTs but he is athletic enough to take those safety valves away. That allows a few split seconds more for players to get to the QB. Which is huge by the time a QB gets that far through his progression. There is a very good chance he is going to be a better pro than Vic Beasley. I have grown to love his upside.

1st WR off the board?

Josh Doctson WR TCU 6030 202 4.50
'Med-risk, high-reward'

Josh maybe that missing piece that opens the field up for Cook finally. He has enough speed to open up the field in the middle and take the top off a defense. Allowing Cook to possible run free in the secondary for the first time since the saints drafted him. Add to it Josh is probably the best WR at high pointing a pass in the draft. Upon further review: Runs a solid pro style route tree, works the middle well, slants, in routes and post patterns. Vastly Underrated.

My Pick: Jarran Reed, DT/DE, Alabama 6034 307 5.21

Despite all the talent listed I have Reed a rare DT talent that only comes along only so often.

I am torn: Shaq Lawson proved his worth when he did the LB drills at the combine and looked very good resulting in my belief we are just starting to see what he can do as a pass rusher. He was more algile than I thought he would be. Add that to his ability to set the edge is solid enough to be a pick at 12. I actually like him more than Vic Beasley.

Trading down and getting an additional pick would more than compensate for passing on the rest of the talent. As I said before, many poor mans versions of most of the remaining players are not as great of a drop off in talent as the two or three rounds that separate them.

Best talent to tumble?

Laquon Treadwell WR Mississippi 6020 221 4.65
He will have long and productive career in NFL much like Colston. One of the best procession WR IMO but that 4.65 is a killer to his draft stock. As does the limited route tree he ran at Ol Miss. Then again teaming him up with Odell with the NYG would appear to be a match made in heaven.

The Serpent in the Garden of Eden?

Noah Spencer is the obvious pick and I would not touch him till day 3 if at all. So

Darron Lee OLB Ohio State 6006 232 4.47
I have issue with so many over hyped DL and OL players in this draft but hands down no one player scares me more than him at 12. This is all because of injury and the over all talent at WLB this year or the lack of. I am not saying he is not a good OLB. But a top 20 talent? I just can not bite this apple.

Who is a top my 1st round wish list for in 2017? Look no further than Jonathan Allen. Alabama’s top pass rusher. I was so bummed out by him returning to school. He was my #1 DL for this draft.